Franz’s 2013 NFL Power Poll: Week 13
Dec 5, 2013, 5:19 AM | Updated: Apr 28, 2015, 2:00 pm
1) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (1): Ranked second in scoring offense and scoring defense…it’s time to take Seattle seriously as a Super Bowl team.
2) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2): The only team whose defense hasn’t scored…I didn’t drop them because losing at the No. 1 team deserves no punishment.
3) CAROLINA PANTHERS (3): More touchbacks per kickoff than any other team (76 percent) gives an automatic win in field position…opposing teams only score 25 percent of the time in the red zone if the game is in Charlotte.
4) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4): Tom Brady threw his first interception against a blitz in two years at Houston.
5) DENVER BRONCOS (5): Scoring a TD on 80 percent of their red zone possessions (no one else is above 68 percent)…one small flaw is defensive halftime adjustments (second worst in third-quarter points allowed).
6) CINCINNATI BENGALS (7): The hardest place for an opposing quarterback (visiting QBs have a 56.1 QB rating at Paul Brown Stadium).
7) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6): Pass rush started out on fire this season, now they’re only +5 in sacks vs. opponents.
8) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (8): Scoring a touchdown on only 45 percent of their red zone possessions at home, but scoring on 79 percent of their road red zone possessions.
9) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (14): Only seven teams punt more per game.
10) DETROIT LIONS (11): Easy to talk offense but defense is first on third down, allowing only 30.57 percent to be converted.
11) ARIZONA CARDINALS (9): Obviously Carson Palmer is not the deep ball expert, since only three quarterbacks complete a lower percentage of passes 30 yards or more downfield and no QB throws more picks…only the Jets score fewer first-quarter points.
12) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (10): Andrew Luck has never lost two games in a row as a pro…young team but averaging the fewest penalties per game.
13) DALLAS COWBOYS (12): Allowing opponents an unbelievable 24 first downs per game.
14) BALTIMORE RAVENS (17): Joe Flacco is barely ahead of Christian Ponder in QB rating for 28th in the league.
15) MIAMI DOLPHINS (21): Imagine how bad it would be if Miami’s defense wasn’t second-best in opposing QB rating.
16) ST. LOUIS RAMS (14): Best net yards/successful punt (meaning if the punt isn’t blocked, St. Louis is best at flipping field position).
17) CHICAGO BEARS (15): What happened to the great defenses of Chicago? The Bears allow five yards per carry — the NFL’s worst.
18) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (16): Fired Bruce Arians as offensive coordinator to get back to running the football…31st in running the football.
19) NEW YORK GIANTS (24): Interception average is so bad, it’s a good thing when they throw fewer than six in a month.
20) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (18): Maybe field position is an issue since the average team earns a touchback on 54 percent of their kickoffs but San Diego allows 80 percent to be returned…32nd in yards given up per play (6.4).
21) GREEN BAY PACKERS (19): Didn’t rush for a first down for the first time in 23 years…worst fourth-quarter scoring defense (only team allowing an average of nine points).
22) NEW YORK JETS (20): Between Oct. 21 and today, Stephen Drew has more home runs than Geno Smith has touchdown passes…no one scores fewer points in the first and fourth quarters.
23) TENNESSEE TITANS (22): Spent major money on the running back, drafted a guard with their first pick, hired a Hall of Fame offensive lineman for head coach and for O-Line coach, yet are 15th in rushing.
24) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (28): Only Eric Dickerson and Jim Brown made it to 10,000 yards in fewer games than Adrian Peterson.
25) BUFFALO BILLS (23): Fumbles twice a game — second-most behind Denver.
26) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (30): They’re 31st in yards per carry…most atrocious stat I have since they’re always losing and should have some gaudy runs inflating their stats.
27) CLEVELAND BROWNS (25): Life would be much easier if they weren’t last in forcing fumbles.
28) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (26): Glass half-full: Keep getting those turnovers because how bad would they be without the +10 turnover ratio? Glass half-empty: How bad can an offense be if it’s +10 in turnover ratio yet still 31st in offense?
29) OAKLAND RAIDERS (27): From Nov. 4 to Dec. 14, O.co Coliseum will see only 2 games.
30) ATLANTA FALCONS (31): Four percent of their punts are blocked (second-worst is 2.08 percent)…staggering to allow 46 percent of all third downs to be converted.
31) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (29): As if bad coaching, a bad defense and poor quarterback play weren’t enough, the ‘Skins are 32nd in punting.
32) HOUSTON TEXANS (32): Only team converting fewer than 69 percent of their attempted field goals.
